Explore Shakespeare’s use of language effects and dramatic devices and how they reveal the action of ambition on the character Macbeth or Lady Macbeth.
Soliloquy, the dagger apparition dramatic irony, tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, in am in blood stepped so far i wade o’er
1st paragraph: Act 1 Scene 3: Macbeth’s beginning soliloquy, and how his ambition is shown, although he still has much doubt and reluctance. dramatic irony. However, he is considering it, which is the start of the degeneration of his mind. This is the minor flaw, the ambition, that will destroy his mind. He does say that he might be king without doing anything, but he doesn’t even convince himself.
Quotes: “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man, that function Is smothered in surmise, and nothing is, But what is not.” “If Chance will have me king, why, Chance may crown me, Without my stir.”
2nd paragraph: Act 2 Scene 1: the dagger apparition, how he is trying to make excuses for his upcoming murder. good metaphor. He is creating a sentient being to blame his actions on. Pointing him in the direction of murdering the king, but its just him blaming something else making him do it.
Quotes: “art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation”. “Thou marshell’st me the way that I was going”.
3rd paragraph:Act 3 Scene 4: I am in blood passage, shows his flawed ideas and his increasingly cruel heart, his lack of empathy and connection to other humans. At this point he commits to all upcoming evil deeds that he will do. This is a big turning point as he now will do everything that he believes is necessary.
Quotes: “I am in blood Stepped in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er.”
4th paragraph: Act 5 Scene 5: tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. shows that he is now lifeless and has nothing left, a shadow of his former past, “that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more” He is no longer human, Shakespeare talking through him, no more time left so he is in despair. Talking about the play itself as well, and how every play must end, and the characters stories will end with it.
Quote: “To the last syllable of recorded time”. “a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more”